More snow means more money for area plow kings

After a mild winter last season, the storm that dumped as much as 8 inches of snow in some areas last week stirred hopes of a bountiful winter among some snowplow operators.

Patrick Daoust, a Charlton snowplow operator who is contracted by the state to clear Routes 9 and 20 in Worcester, admitted he hopes it snows more often this winter.

Mr. Daoust, whose company recently advertised for two plow operators, said he lost workers last year because they found other things to do.

However, some snowplow operators said they survived last year on seasonal contracts, which allowed them to get paid regardless of the amount of snow.

“I've been doing it so long that I have a good mix of commercial and residential (customers),” said Gary Alia of Lawns & Landscape Co. in Leominster, which has contracts with businesses such as Walmart and Kmart. “I would say about 85 percent of my commercial is a seasonal contract where I get paid no matter what.”

The National Weather Service said 39.7 inches of snow fell on Worcester Regional Airport during the entire winter last year, well below normal. That number includes the 14.6 from a nor'easter that hit Oct. 29-30, 2011.

“You need a few of those (guaranteed accounts) because of winters like last year,” said Steven A. Christy, president of Landscaping Etc. Inc. in Millbury.

The benefit of a guaranteed contract to the customer, Mr. Christy said, is that their budgets don't get avalanched when it snows frequently, as it did two winters ago, when snow caved in rooftops across the state.

Mr. Christy said he is bracing for a normal winter of about 60 to 70 inches of snow, for which his company will head out to plow about 12 to 15 times, and go out up to 40 times to take care of sidewalks and scrape, salt and otherwise protect customers from slippery, freezing conditions.

Mr. Christy, who has accounts from Worcester to Waltham, said he doesn't get too down or too excited about the weather.

“I've seen every combination thereof,” he said.

It works the other way for mostly pay-as-it-snows operations.

Robert L. Moylan Jr., commissioner of Public Works and Parks in Worcester, said vendors who are “in it every year” are eager to get back to removing snow and hope for more action this year.

“It's a sizable investment for them to be able to comply to our standards, and so they need the snow to pay off that investment,” the commissioner said.

In Worcester last winter, the city budgeted $3,156,883 for snow and ice removal and spent $3,500,223.

Mr. Moylan said that many people discount the fact that last year was a light winter in total snowfall, but the October 2011 nor'easter was expensive, especially with the collection of limbs, trees and branches during the aftermath.

Mr. Daoust said an incentive for him to stay in the business is that the state pays well.

The rate varies based on equipment and accessories, from $70 to $280 per hour, a Department of Transportation spokesman said.

“The state has done a real good job of compensation and stuff like that,” Mr. Daoust said. “A few years ago they changed wages. They give you a fuel supplement now. They made it so guys that have done it and guys that suffered from a dead winter didn't have to sell their stuff. They make it so people want to stay into it.”

Last year's mild winter meant the state was able to save money. It spent $35 million for snow and ice removal, after budgeting $41 million. It used some of the leftover money to defray the MBTA's deficit, DOT spokesman Sara Lavoie said.